Receptacle-feeding apparatus



E. E.'LAWRENCE.' RECEPTACL-E'FEEDING APPARATUS. I APPLICATION i'ILED MAY 12, 1920. 1,432,702. v Patented Oct. 17,1922;

2'SHEETSSHEET l.

I EdwardELmww'me E. E. LAWRENCE.

RECEPTACLE FEEDING APPARATUS.

, APPLICATION man MAY 12. 1920. 1,432,702.

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Patented Oct. 17, 1922.

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m m M 8 Q I 1 v v m n Patented new, 1922. l dd ill il its!) stares EDWARD nnawnnncn, or JAMAICA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR r LOOSE-WILES nrsonrr COMPANY, or LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK, N. n, A conroenrron on new roan.

RECEPTACLE-FEEDING APPARATUS.

Original application filed June15, 1916, Serial No. 193,875. Divided and this application filed May 12,

p 1920. Serial No. 380,910. i

To all tu/wm it may concern: Fig. 2, portions of said members being 50 Be it known that I, EDWARD E. LAW- broken away to save space in the drawings. RnNoE, a citizen of the United States, and a These belts are supported at their outer ends resident of Jamaica, in the county of Queens by guide pulleys 45, 46 and at their inner and State of New York, have invented an ends they are supported upon pulleys it) Improvement in Receptacle-Feeding Apand 50, said pulleys being illustrated in 55 paratus, of which the following description, dotted lines in Fig. l and in full lines in Fig. in connection with the accompanying draw- 2. Thus it will be seen that the inner ends ings, is a specification, like characters on of the set Off belts are brought into close the drawings representing like parts. proximity.

This'invention relates to'receptacle feed The said pulleys --4.-9, are respectively ing apparatus and'is a division of my 00- mounted upon shafts 51, 52 which shaits are pending application Serial No. 103,875 for respectivelymounted iirbeariugs 58 and Receptacle'filling and closing apparatus, 54, 54 in the cross members 2 of the frame. 15 filed June 15, 1916. Gears 55, 56 mounted respectively upon said In order that the principles of the inven- Shafts 51, 52 mesh with each other so that tion may be readily understood I have disthe two belts may be driven in opposite diclosed a single embodiment thereof in the rections in unison. As hereinafter described,

accompanying drawings wherein: gear 56 is loosely mounted upon the shaft 20 Fig. l is a plan viewof the apparatus; 52 and is adapted periodically to be clutched Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same thereto.

' taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Suitable means are provided for driving Fig. 3 is a section aken onthe line 3-3 said belts and herein such means are adapted of Fig. l. to impart an intermittentmovement thereto,

The feeding apparatus herein disclosed it being merely necessary for the attendant may be used for feeding various articles but to keep a sufiicient supply of articles .or can. '75 herein it is adapted for use with machines tons upon the belts 45, L6 to insure the for filling cartons or receptacles and thereinward feeding of the same at the two sides after closing the same by in'liolding the upof the machine. It is desirable that portions 30 standing flaps or cover portions thereof as of said belts, that is the portioi'is or runs clearly disclosed in my aforesaid copending upon which the receptacles, or cartons are application. mounted and fed, be maintained in hori- In the apparatus referred to the filling zontal planes andpreferably in the same naterial is deposited in predetermined quan-' plane and between the upper and lower tities and by suitable means in'the cartons runs of said belts are interposed supporting that are conveyed to and beyond the filling or guide members 57, '58. I have herein stations of the machine by the feedingaprepresented guide rolls 59, 59, 60, 60 at the paratus embodying this invention. inner ends of said members 57, 58, the upper In the drawings, the frame is represented most of which rolls, together with the rolls 40 as consisting of a series of uprights l atop- 45, 46 define the carton or article supportposite sides and these uprights are connected ing runs of said belts. The pulleys 49, 50

together or supported by a plurality of are supported at a lower level than the transverse cross or tie members 2. Mounted carton receiving portions of the belts 4:5, 46

uponsaid vframe members are travelling and hence said belts incline downwardly 45 means herein belts 45 and 4L6, portions of from the guides 59, 60 to said pulleys.

which are supported horizontally by later- Iliave indicated at 61 a guidingroller beally extending members 47 and l8, which neath which the belt 46 extends. From the members may extend outwardly for a conrollers 59, 60 the belts 45, 4:6 extend downsiderable distance as most clearly shown in wardly quite abruptly beneath troughs 62,

63 positioned angularly with respect to said belts erein. at substantially right angles to the path of movement of said belts. As shown most clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, at opposite sides of the belts 15, 4:6 .1. position longitudinally extending guide plates 6-1, (i i, 65, 65, the inner ends of which extend directly into the troughs (S2, 63 so as to guide and support the incoming cartons or articles directly into the said troughs.

The said troughs are suitably supported upon side members of the fi'amc of the machine at opposite sides thereof and directly beneath the discharge ends of the. chutes shown in said copcnding omitted from the present drawings, although the positions of said chutes are indicated by the letters A, B which, in other words, indicate the filling stations of said troughs.

The said troughs may be of any desired construction but herein each consists of a bottom '66, and outer and inner alls '76, 'ii', the outer walls T6 of said troughs being cut away at T8 in line with the belts timed to permitentrance of the cartons from said belts. -The bottom ('36 of each trough is recessed to receive means for advancing the cartons along said trough which herein comprise sprocket chains, the. upper runs of which are arranged within said recesses. These chains, in the present example, constitute endless conveyors constructed and arranged to receivefrom said belts the cartons that are carried inwardly thereby and effect the conveying of said cartons to the fillingstations'A and B, thence to various other stations as, tions (1 and D and finally to a discharge station E, herein constituting a common discharge station for both the conveyors of the machine. The runs of said conveyors which Work in said grooves are preferably located in substantiallythe same plane as are the upper runs of the belts a5, do so that cartons or receptacles may be transferred from one tothe other, right side up, and without danger of such cartons being upset or tipped over during such transferring operations.

The sprocket chains 67 are preferably each I provided with spaced upstanding lugs (38' arranged in pairs suflicient-ly separated to receive between them the cartons. The sprocket chains bearing said lugs are intermittently driven and so timed that they are periodically stopped with the said upstandinglugs positioned. so as to receive a carton from said travelling means or belts 15, 16. The movei'nents of the sprocket chains are then resumed and the cartons arecarried to.

the filling stations and then to the closing or folding stations in a manner common to the machine of said copending application. Each sprocket chain 67 is supported, at its outer end, by an idler or guide sprocket wheel 69 upon a shaft 69 shown and havvorrchains 6T. conduct the application but for example, carton closing statend ing shaft c'eive and convey one carton.

As previously stated the endless conveyors cartons along the troughs past the varlous stations and may discharge'them from oppositeside s of the machine. but preferably I have herein represented a duplex discharge chute 18G hinged to the frame o the machine at181, 182 so that, when the machine is not in use, the chute may be folded up out of the way. The two parts 183, 18+; of the chute meet at 1 85 which 1 have herein designated as the common discharge station it of the machine from which point the filled and closed receptacle or c'artonsare discharged.

1 in order to drive the operating parts of: the machine I may provide any suitable means from which powermay be transmitted herein to asuitable'pnlley 191) which is loosely'mmmted upon a transverse shaft 191"journaled to rotate in suitable bearings 192-, 192 upon the framing of the machine. The said pulley 190 is adapted to be clutched to the shaft by any suitable clutching means and herein is represented as having an annular grooved member 193 receiving the inner end of an operatingyokelQ l carried by a rod 195 extending from. side to side of the machine and guided bythe side'mem hers thereof as indicated in Fig. 1.

The main driving shaft 191 is provided with a pinion 201 fast thereon and meshing with a gear 205 fast upon a transversely ex- 206 mounted in bearings 207 in the side members of the machine frame. Fast upon said shaft 206 and about inidwidth of the machine is a'be'velled gear 208 meshing with a similar gear 209' upon the longitudinally extending shaft \vhereon is supported the pulley for theempty carton feeding "belt -16.

Aspreviously stated I preferably intermittently drive the. empty carton conveyor belts 15 and as and for this purpose I have represented the shaft 52 as having thereon a clutch member 210 by which periodically to clutch to the shaft the gear 56 preferably looselymounted thereon.

Any suitable means may be employed for operating said clutch either automatically or manually but herein for this purpose I provide a clutch operating member 211 pivoted'at 212 upon the framing of the ma chine and having a laterally extending'arm 213 to which'is connected a lever arm 21.1

that in thediscl'osed embodiment scriptive sense and having a roll 215 normally :in engagement With-the periphery of the cam 216 upon-a cam shaft 217. 1 The lever "arm-214i is pivotally mounted upon a stationary support 218 as most clearly indicated in F ig; Q/ and devices: and I have'provided means where by this-may be:.efiected.w :As shown most clearly in Fig-2 I provide-alink 220,=.the

lower end of which is pivoted-at; 221 to-the said'lever-arm 214 endthereof. :The said linkextends inran upwardly inclined'direction to a side'of the machine adjacent to one. ofv the discharge" chutes,.in a'convenient position to be operated when 'desired'and is there suitably. supported by a pin upon a downwardly extending bracket-222, entering a longitudinal slot 223 insaid link whereby said linkimay be outwardly drawnby the handle 22450 as to withdraw the roll 2l5.from operative:

relation to the periphery of the cam 216. When the roll 215 has thusbeen withdrawn the movements-of the-belts 45. and are entirely suspendednm. r

From the foregoing description it: is clear of myainvention wherein duplex conveyor shown-the empty'cartons are intermittently fed at each side crane: machine into the troughs where they are 'receivedupon the sprocket chains in suitable spaced relation and. after being advanced to the filling stations A and B and filled by meansnot shown herein, they are then conveyed to the folding stations C and vCD and folded'in any suitable manner, whence they are char 7 discharge station E. l 1

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention I understood, that although specific termsare employed they are used in a generic and de notfor purposes of lim-Z itation, the scope} of the invention being set combination, cles, aconveyor onto which thearticles are discharged from ing positioned at an angle to" said belt and the latter extending to said conveyor suli stantially in the same plane therewith and then beneath said convey'or whereby the articles are discharged directly from theabelt onto the conveyor,'said"beltand said conveyor having "confining side guides therealong, whereby thereceptacles are" guided to stop the belts45 and 4L6 ad acent .to the upper;

veythem inwardly,

'first directly to" her. 1

means are thereafter disged from the machine at the common desire it i to be first and having said belt, said conveyor be-' with: certainty directly from the beltonto the conveyor and along said conveyor.

I '2. .Ai feeding apparatus comprising in combination, a conveyor member adapted to receiveempty cartons and to convey them inwardly, a second conveyor member arranged at substantially right angles thereto, said first conveyor member extending to the second conveyor member in substantially the sameplanetherewith and then abruptly beneath the" second member, said conveyor members 'whavin g *cOnfining side guides whereby the receptacles are guided from the firstconveyor-member onto the second conveyor. member and with no intermediate movement are guidedla'long the latter at substantially rightangles to their first direction-of movement. v

3. Awfeeding. apparatus, comprising, in combination, a conveyor member adaptedto receive said-empty receptaclesand to conmeans to' impart step-by-- step motion to said membeiya second conveyor member positioned at an angle to the first member and adapted toreceive therecepta-cles, rightside up, directly therefrom,

.means to impart-a step-by step movement to:-

said second conveyormemberand cooperating guide means to insure the abruptly angular delivery oi' the receptacles from :the the second conveyor mein 4. A feeding apparatus comprising, in combination, a conveyor member adapted to receive and convey emptyreceptacles, right side up, means'to impart a step-by-step m0- tion to said conveyor member, a second conveyor member arranged at substantially right angles to the first and adapted to re ceive the receptacles directly therefrom,- and means to impart movement to the second memberduring the periods of rest of said first conveyor memberx a I 5. A feeding apparatus com n-ising, in combinatioma conveyor member adapted to receive empty receptacles, to move them inwardly, means to impart-a step-bystep motion. thereto, a second conveyor memberarrangedtransversely to the spaced receiving'projections thereon, and means intermittently to move said second conveyor member intostationary' position to receive receptacles from the first conveyor member; I 6. A receptacle feeding apparatus com prising, in combination, a conveyor belt adaptedzto receive, right side up, empty recepta'cles' and to move them inwardly,means toimpart a step-by-step motion to'said belt, a secondconveyor belt arranged transversely to said first belt and having spaced receptaole-positioningprojections to engage opposite ends oi"thereceptacles, and means'to right side up, and

move, said. second belt during the periods of tacle-posltiomng receptacles between said projections from the first belt. a

"7. A feeding apparatus comprising Jill combination, two :endless. conveyors at right S. A :feeding apparatus comprising in combination, a conveyor member adapted-to receive empty receptac'lesand toiconvey them inwardly, means .to impart step-by-step' mo tion to said member, a secondconveyor 1116111- ber positioned at an angle ;to the first 1118111-- her i and adapted xto IGQQLVB the recept acles,-

right side cup,directly:therefrom, means :to impartia .stepdayestep movement to said-second conveyor member, and stationary confining'guides at the ,edgesioii each conveyor member so as to guide the receptaclesalong the conveyor members in. straight paths: and at; the speed of said conveyor membersqaml directly from ,one tothe other; i 1

v9. A feeding vapparatus-comprising combination, a conveyor inicmberadapted to receive and convey: empty 1 receptacles, iright, side up, means to impart a step-by-step motionto said conveyor member, a second. conveyor member arranged at substantially right angles .to the first, meanswto impart movement vto the second 1 member during the periodsotrest of said first conveyor member, and stationary-confining guides atthe edgesof each conveyor 'member so as to,

guide the; receptacles nalong the conveyor member-sin straight paths and at the speed of said conveyor members and 1 right angularly from one to the other.

10. A receptacle feeding apparatus comprising in combination, a conveyor belt adapted to receive,.rightsideup, empty receptacles and to move theminwardly, means to impart a step-by-step motion tosaid belt,

a second conveyor belt arranged transversely;

to said first belt and having spaced recepprojections, and :means utO move; said, second, belt: during the periods of rest of said firstbe1t-.ina position ,to receive receptacles between said projections from the first belt, each of said conveyor belts having confining side guifdeswtherealong-to guide :the receptacles 'with certainty and rightangularly from :one tothe other andto confine them to said conveyors.

11. A feedingvapparatus comprising, in

combination, a conveyor member adapted toreceive empty receptacles and to conveyv them inwardly, said conveyor member hav ing confining edge guides spaced apart sub stantially the length, of said receptacles,

means 'to impart step .bytstepsmotion to said conveyor :member, a second conveyor member-positioned at'substantially right angles to the firstconveyor. member and adapted to receive the receptacles right sideup directly therefrom her. having confiningnedge guides spaced apart substantially the width, of the saidvreceptaclesp and means :to impart step ibystep motion :to said second. conveyor member.

12. A feeding apparatus ,compr1s1ng,.m

combination, a conveyor member; adapted .to

receiverempty receptacles andxto. convey: them inwardly, said conveyoramember having confinin edge guides spaced apart substantially the lengthiof said receptacles, a second conveyor member'positioned at substantiallyrright angles: to the first conveyor memberiand adapted .to receive the receptaclesright side up directly:therefrom said second conveyor member having confining edge aguide's spaced apart-substantially vthe width of the said receptacles;

'13. A iteeding apparatus comprising, in combination, tivo conveyor members spaced apart 1 atitheir inner portions Ibut (adapted to convey articles towardeach othcna pair of conveyor membersin parallelism, interposed between the ,lirstementioned conveyor members and each-member of saidpairbeing at substantially right angles'to one of said first-mentioned conveyor'emembers and from which it (receives articles, "means: intermittentlyto drive all of said conveyor,mem-v bers andzedge guides TEOI'ailll of said conveyor members, the edge guideszfor the first-omentioned conveyorrmembers being spaced-apart substantially the length of'lthe articles, and the edge guides .ztorzthe parallel conveyor members being spaced apart substantially the .width of the said articles.

let. A feedinguapparatus comprising, in combination, two conveyor members spaced apart at their inner, portions but adapted to conveyarticles towardeachother,-a pair of conveyor members in parallelism, interposed between the first-mentioned, conveyor members and each member rof said pair being at substantially; right angles to one of said firstmentioned conveyor members and from which .it receives -articles, means intermittently to drive all of said conveyormembers, edge guides for -all of said conveyor members, the edge guides for the firstement-ioned conveyor members, being spaced apart, substantially-thetlengthof the articles, and the edge guides for the parallel conveyor memhere being spaced apart substantially the Width' of the said, articles, and, means manually .to stop the movement, of the-firstmentioned, conveyor members without 7 interfering vwith the movement cf the second mentioned conveyor members.

, 15.,Av feeding apparatus comprising, .in combination, conveyor members at an angle said second conveyor 'mem-.

to each other and directly from one to said members inter adapted to feed articles the other, means to drive mittently from a common power source, the one conveyor member being in motion While the other is stationary,

control mechanism of both conveyor for members, and manual stopping the motion means for stopping the motion of one conveyor member While the other member c0n tinues in motion.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

I EDVVAR-D E. LAWREN 

